(Posted March 14, 2022)

Abigail Madar ’22, president of the Juniata College Equestrian Club and captain of the Equestrian Team

Abigail Madar ’22, president of the Juniata College Equestrian Club and captain of the Equestrian Team

HUNTINGDON, Pa. — Juniata College’s Equestrian Team is galloping into the spring show season following a very successful fall, filled with team and individual accomplishments.

Sponsored by the Juniata College Equestrian Club, which encourages students to be exposed to the world of horses and to have fun through equestrian activities, the Equestrian Team competes through the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). 

“When I came to Juniata as a first-year student, the Equestrian Club had been recently revived. Juniata had a competing horse show team in the past, so we just needed to get it going again,” says Abigail Madar ’22 of Mechanicsburg, Pa., president of the Juniata College Equestrian Club and captain of the Equestrian Team. “Finally, after the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in our plans to get the team running again, we managed to reactivate our IHSA membership for the 2021-2022 season.”

Working in conjunction with Fox Run Riding, a local horse training and riding facility, the club sets up riding lessons for those interested in learning more about the sport and organizes trips for trail riding and other horse-related outings. The club, which has around 90 members, includes the eight athletes who make up Juniata’s Equestrian Team.

“Our horse show team practices every week with lessons at our coach’s barn,” Madar says. “We’ve been so happy to be out competing this fall!”

Haley Campbell, owner of Fox Run Riding, offers instruction in the hunter/jumper discipline to help students develop the skills needed to achieve their individual riding goals.

Team members, Madar, Caroline Letrent ’24 of Princeton, NJ, Molly Hunter ’22 of State College, Pa., Alana Moore ’22 of Greencastle, Pa., Thea Nagle ’23 of Huntingdon, Pa., Sierra Nawalinski ’22 of Downingtown, Pa., Erin Molin ’22 of York, Pa., and Alyssa Monti ’22 of Brookfield, Il., compete against equestrian teams from Bucknell University, Dickinson College, Gettysburg College, Penn State University, Penn State Altoona, Susquehanna University, and Wilson College. 

Fall 2021 season results were:

- Limit Hunter Seat Equitation Over Fences: Madar placed first and third at Grier School; third at Wilson College; and second and first at Black River.

- Limit Hunter Seat Equitation (Flat): Madar placed second and second at Grier School, sixth at Wilson College, and sixth and second at Black River.

- Novice Hunter Seat Equitation: Letrent placed third and sixth at Grier School, fifth at Wilson College, and sixth and third at Black River.

- Pre-Novice Hunter Seat Equitation: Hunter placed second at Wilson College and third and fourth at Black River; Moore placed third and fourth at Grier School and first and first at Black River; Nagle placed fourth and first at Black River; and Nawalinski placed third and second at Grier School and fourth at Black River.

- Introductory Hunter Seat Equitation: Molin placed fifth at Grier School and sixth at Wilson College; and Monti placed fourth at Black River.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.